He pulls away abruptly with a muttered “Fuck.” I’m thrust back to reality, feeling as though I’ve had a bucket of cold water thrown over me.

The outside world rushes back into the room, and I once again become aware of the muffled bass beat playing downstairs and the cool rush of air coming in through Jace’s open window.

“Why did you stop?” I ask, hoping he can’t see the hurt and confusion on my face in the meager light.

“You’re drunk.”

“No, I’m not,” I insist. “Well, not anymore,” I amend.

“You drank half a bottle of whiskey earlier. Trust me, you’re still drunk.”

“You’re turning me down? Seriously?” I ask. “Is it because you already fucked Maria or Megan or whoever?”

I try to mask the sting of his snub with anger, but it bleeds into my voice anyway.

“Jealous?” Jace smirks.

I don’t reply, because we both know I am, although there’s no way I’ll admit it to him or myself. He doesn’t answer my question, which prompts a bothersome ache I fight to ignore.

Something shifts in his expression as he studies my own, but I can’t identify what it is before his face returns to an indifferent mask.

“I thought you go through girls like Kleenex,” I accuse, my tone tinged with judgement as I recall the rumors I’ve heard circulating around campus. “You’ll sleep with any girl who compliments you, but the one night I want you to be the arrogant football star, you’re not interested?”

Jace shoots me a hard glare, then climbs off the bed. For one wild moment, I think he’s going to kick me out of his room. Instead, he opens the top dresser drawer and pulls out a gray t-shirt. He tosses it to me and turns out the lamp on the dresser, plunging us into near darkness. There’s just the barest hint of light from the hazy moon beaming in through the open window.

I feel the bed shift as his shadowy figure climbs under the covers beside me. I don’t move, disoriented by the rapid shift of events that have taken place over the last few minutes. Embarrassment, anger, hurt, and confusion swirl and mix with the remnants of lust.

Finally, I settle on annoyance as I sit on top of the bed, holding the t-shirt. I contemplate leaving, but have no idea what the state of things is downstairs or how to even get back to my dorm at this hour. My best option would be to call Philip, but I have no desire to deal with the inevitable lecture about how irresponsible my actions tonight were right now.

I glance over at Jace’s still body, resolving I’ll sleep for a little while and sneak out early before I have to talk to him. Having decided, I slip on the cozy t-shirt and slide under the covers.

Jace’s bed is much more comfortable than my dorm’s. Despite my lingering annoyance and shifting kaleidoscope of emotions about the boy lying beside me, I find myself falling asleep in minutes.